The invention relates to a tablet dispenser of the type including a slide arranged in a housing forming a tablet storage space and an operating button located adjacent a wall of the housing, the button being shiftable, against spring force, toward the inside of the housing, in which inward position it moves a tablet dispensing section into registry with a tablet drop opening.
It has previously been suggested in a German patent application assigned to applicants' assignee to provide a tablet dispenser including a slide, which is not spring-loaded in the closing direction, and means securing the slide against movement to provide protection against operation by children. The design is such that the end of the slide includes longitudinal slits divided by it into two strips which can be forced against each other elastically. One strip has on its outside a catch which engages a latch opening at a depth which is smaller than the travel of the strip when the strips are forced against each other elastically. With such design, the manipulation for opening occurs at one spot of the dispenser.
On such a dispenser where a housing wall forms the operating key of a slide which can be moved against spring force toward the inside of the housing, a tablet can be released practically unnoticed merely by touching the dispenser. This is disadvantageous since it can lead to an uncontrolled dosing and to an unnecessary loss of tablets.